Online learning can be pricey

Updated 10:23 pm, Saturday, December 1, 2012

AUSTIN — “Start-up costs” for building a comprehensive online course catalog at Texas' public universities could be cited for keeping the price of online classes as high and sometimes higher than traditional classes — for now.

University officials say cost is a reflection of the investment associated with a new way of teaching and learning.

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It's not clear when universities will pass on the savings to students, who enjoy the flexibility and convenience of online classes while universities can enroll more without accommodating them on campus.

Most public universities, including the University of Houston, discount some service fees for students enrolled exclusively in online classes.

Others, such as those in the Texas A&M University System and Texas State University-San Marcos, charge an additional “electronic” or “technology” course fee of up to $150 per online course.

Debbie Thorne, associate vice president for academic affairs at Texas State, said the fee goes toward the development of future online courses. It can cost a school between $75,000 and $200,000 to “translate” a course into an online format, she said.

“The cost is highly dependent on the course material,” Thorne said. “But the idea that online learning is always less expensive is false.”

For example, a writing-intensive English course would be much easier to convert to an online format than a physical therapy course where many videos and simulations would have to be developed, she said.

The average cost for a traditional four-year degree at a public university in Texas, including tuition, fees and books, is about $30,000, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

In his recent push for more accessible and less expensive higher education opportunities, Gov. Rick Perry has encouraged online learning growth while touting a $10,000 degree plan already in place at some Texas colleges.

Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Perry didn't want to “micromanage” universities but continues to believe that online courses will save money.

“Gov. Perry has been pushing schools to use more online tools and courses because that does allow more affordable courses and degrees,” Frazier said.

Schools in the UT System, including UTSA, charge the same tuition for online courses as regular classroom-based courses, without an extra fee.

During the summer, responding to a request last year from the Legislature, the Coordinating Board asked every public higher education institution to estimate what it would cost them to develop and execute their four most popular degree programs online.

Chavez said he couldn't release the estimates until the board's staff reports its findings and legislative recommendations to a board committee next week.

He said the estimates varied widely, partly because some schools already have an online infrastructure in place.

One problem with compiling the information, Chavez said, was that there is no “nationally unified accounting practice” to determine the costs associated with providing online education, and the state has no standard model for estimating those costs.

The UT system last month announced a $10 million investment in developing online courses with the large provider of massive open online courses edX. The system will offer at least five free online courses, not for course credit, for anyone with Internet access by fall 2013.

Eventually, the system will offer courses for credit, said Jenny LaCoste-Caputo, spokeswoman for the UT system.

She said online courses that offer more access and availability can decrease the time it takes a student to complete a degree, resulting in cost-savings for students, schools and the state.

“It's about increased access to high-quality courses, no matter where you are. And being able to get into the courses that you need, when you need them,” Caputo said.